A stereo camera includes a first imaging array and a second imaging array that capture, respectively, a left image and a right image of a scene from slightly different angles. Depth information can be computed by triangulation of a common feature in the left and right images, so long as the common feature is easily distinguishable in both images. Active stereo cameras, or active depth cameras, ensure a distinguishable common feature by projecting a feature into the cameras' point of view, for example, with a laser projection system.